Here are a few tips I learned:
1. Think visually.
2. Avoid description and introspection.
3. Dialogue is secondary.
4. Show, don't tell.
5. Less is better.
6. Keep a metronome beating in my head as I write.
7. Be open to adding some new scenes that help tell the story more visually.
8. Be open to removing some scenes from the book that won't work in a film.
I did find some time for reading and started with some screenplays, three by Horton Foote: TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, THE TRIP TO BOUNTIFUL, and TENDER MERCIES.
Books I highly recommend are:
LEAVING GEE'S BEND by Irene Latham
THE GARDENER by our own Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen
EYES ON THE GOAL by our own John Coy
FAITHFUL by Janet Fox
COMFORT by Joyce Moyer Hostetter
THE YEAR OF GOODBYES by Debbie Levy
7 comments:
I love that you can write your own screenplay. Thanks for the list of screenwriting tips and more titles to add to my reading list.
Thanks, Christy! I just went back and added a couple more tips that came to mind. It's nice to be able to edit the post.
Bravo to you, Edie, for tackling a new genre. And what a great way to extend the reach of your book. Many of your screenwriting tips could be applied to good writing in general. Several of them reminded me of things I heard Sid Fleischman say, who was a very successful screenwriter before he began writing for young people.
I would definitely like to try that at some point:)
What a rich and productive summer you had Edie! Thanks for the writing tips. I agree with David-- these same tips ring true for all writing. And your book recommendations will be added to my reading list!
Thanks, David, Stephanie, and Lauren! Yes, the more I look at these tips, the more I realize I can apply these to all my writing. I've just been told I need to cut 30 pages from my latest draft of the screenplay, so back to work...
Great to get an update from you, Edie. Sounds like you had a fun and productive summer. Thanks for the writing and reading tips, and good luck on your script revision(s)!!
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